High School category, Page 931
Jeannette uses huge second half to roll Reynolds, wrap up trip to state finalsVideo
TRANSFER — Reynolds played Jeannette tough in the first half of Friday’s PIAA Class A semifinal. But a 12-minute outburst by the Jayhawks in the third quarter quickly turned a close game into a rout and had the District 10 champions thinking about the winter season. Jeannette (10-1) scored 27...
Wilmington stops Beaver Falls in battle of unbeatens
Quarterback/safety Caelan Bender made some big plays Friday night for the Wilmington Greyhounds. But the biggest were two second-half plays that lifted Wilmington to a 20-18 victory over Beaver Falls in a PIAA semifinal at Geneva College’s Reeves Stadium. With the Greyhounds leading 13-12, Bender eluded a sack by Tigers...
Pitt extends offer to Belle Vernon freshman Quinton Martin
Major Division I college football schools are expected to take interest in Belle Vernon freshman Quinton Martin over the next few years. Pitt is the first in line. The Panthers offered Martin, a 6-foot-3, 180-pounder who played running back, receiver and defensive back for the Leopards this season. Belle Vernon...
Defending champion Thomas Jefferson routs Oil City, returns to PIAA 4A final
Thomas Jefferson had the football 10 times Friday night and scored nine touchdowns, an almost-perfect performance that has the Jaguars headed back to Hershey. TJ teammates Preston Zandier and Conner Murga reached the end zone three times each as the defending state champion steamrolled Oil City, 62-0, in a PIAA...
Paul Newberry: High school coach makes stand during pandemicVideo
For Mark Rose, football is more than a living. It’s a way of life. But it’s not worth dying for. Rose has become a lonely but powerful voice: a longtime high school coach — one of the more successful in football-mad Alabama — who finds it ludicrous to be carrying...
Second-half rally lifts unbeaten Mars boys soccer to program’s first state title
All season long, the Mars boys soccer team was led by its defense. Mars had only allowed eight goals in 20 games, but when District 3 champion Northern scored the ninth in the first half of the PIAA Class 3A championship on Friday at Hersheypark Stadium, the Fightin’ Planets knew...
Franklin Regional volleyball on cusp of first state title
It’s been a season of firsts for the Franklin Regional girls volleyball team. The team won its first WPIAL championship and is making its first trip to the PIAA championship game. Will the season end with another first? Senior Aly Kindelberger thinks so. “I think we’re playing with great confidence...
Faith Christian stops state title bid for Greensburg Central Catholic boys
HERSHEY — Seth Skowronek took a vicious soccer-ball-to-the-face hit early in the game, and blood began to run from his nose. He was woozy and shaken. The Greensburg Central Catholic senior defender, though, refused to leave the final soccer game of his career. “I had to push through it,” Skowronek...
PIAA soccer championships preview: Saturday’s games
Boys Class 4A Seneca Valley (16-1-1) vs. Neshaminy (13-1-2) 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey Coaches: George Williams, Seneca Valley; Tom Foley, Neshaminy State titles: Seneca Valley 0 (second appearance); Neshaminy 3 (1982, 1984, 1994) How they got here: Seneca Valley defeated State College, 6-0, and Cumberland Valley, 1-0; Neshaminy...
Deer Lakes seniors hope to leave final mark on program with victory in PIAA title game
For the past month, the Deer Lakes boys soccer team has been playing some of its best soccer. It has resulted in seven straight wins, a WPIAL Class 2A championship and a berth in the PIAA finals. The Lancers (17-1) have been treating every game like a championship, and Saturday’s...
Greensburg Central Catholic girls fall short in PIAA Class A championship game
HERSHEY — Southern Columbia is known for being a state football power. The school’s girls soccer team can play physical too. With a hounding defense that limited scoring chances for high-scoring Greensburg Central Catholic, forcing the Centurions to play at an uneasy pace, the Tigers ground out a 2-1 victory...
North Allegheny girls volleyball hopes PIAA finals experience pays off against Unionville
North Allegheny is going after its fourth consecutive PIAA Class 4A girls volleyball championship and seventh overall in program history. District 1 champion Unionville is in the state finals for the first time. Tigers coach Heidi Miller said while her team has the advantage in experience for Saturday’s 6 p.m....
Mars girls soccer caps undefeated season with second straight state title
For the third time in program history, the Mars girls soccer team is leaving Hersheypark Stadium with PIAA gold in hand and big grins on their faces. Purdue commit Gracie Dunaway scored a goal three minutes into their PIAA Class 3A championship match, and senior midfielder Samantha King shouldered in...
Slowing Wilmington’s running game key for Beaver Falls in PIAA 2A semifinal
Studying film of Wilmington’s offensive line made Beaver Falls coach Nick Nardone think back to a Week 2 matchup with Laurel. The two opponents run a somewhat similar scheme up front, he said, since both use wing-T elements in their offenses. But there’s a key difference. “Laurel had two really...
High school scores, schedules for Nov. 19, 2020
High schools Field hockey PIAA playoffs Championship Saturday’s schedule Class 3A Emmaus vs. Central Dauphin at Whitehall HS, 3 p.m. Class 2A Archbishop Carroll vs. Palmyra at Whitehall HS, 12:30 p.m. Class A Wyoming Seminary vs. Greenwood at Whitehall HS, 10 a.m. Football PIAA playoffs Semifinals Class 6A Saturday’s schedule...
Thomas Jefferson preps for PIAA semifinal battle with Oil City
Bill Cherpak doesn’t often have to worry about his players moving on from a big win and switching their focus to the next task at hand. Thomas Jefferson celebrated capturing its second consecutive WPIAL championship and 10th overall with a thrilling 35-28 overtime win over Aliquippa on Saturday. And when...
Seton LaSalle hires Mauro Monz as football coach
Seton LaSalle reached into its past to find its future football coach. Mauro Monz, a former player in the early 1990s, will replace Mike Zmijanac as the Rebels’ coach, the school announced Thursday. The 1992 graduate played quarterback and defensive back for Seton LaSalle under coach Greg Gattuso. He’s coached...
John Berger resigns as Ligonier Valley boys basketball coach
Ligonier Valley boys basketball coach John Berger recently resigned, athletic director Wesley Siko said. Berger cited work demands as the reason he can no longer coach the team. Berger is the Ligonier Borough Chief of Police. Berger coached the Rams the past two seasons. The team played in the District...
Lancers ready for 2nd PIAA title game appearance after missing out in 2018
Making a trip to Hersheypark Stadium on a weekend in mid-November can leave a lasting impact on any high school team. It can give players a sense of satisfaction after getting a PIAA gold medal placed around their neck or a sense of disappointment after losing on the biggest stage....
Greensburg Central Catholic soccer teams set for PIAA finals
PIAA soccer championships Boys Class A Championship Greensburg Central Catholic (17-1) vs. Faith Christian Academy (15-1) 1:30 p.m. Friday, Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey Coaches: Tyler Solis, GCC; Ryan Clymer, Faith Christian State titles: GCC 0 (first appearance); Faith Christian 0 (first appearance) How they got here: GCC — Defeated Rockwood, 3-2,...
Family ties make trip to Hershey a special occasion for Greensburg C.C. soccer teams
Greensburg Central Catholic’s trip to Hershey for the girls and boys PIAA Class A soccer championships will be a family affair. The girls team has two sets of sisters in senior Sam Felder and sophomore Sara Felder, and junior Bethany Winnor and sophomore Ashley Winnor. The Felders have combined for...
Mars soccer teams look to cap undefeated seasons at PIAA championships
The Mars boys and girls soccer teams take their undefeated records into the final game of the season. Each will play for a state championship Friday at Hersheypark Stadium. Girls soccer Class AAA Championship Mars (18-0) vs. Villa Joseph Marie (15-0) 4 p.m. Friday, Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey Coaches: Blair Gerlach,...
Greensburg Central Catholic declares Friday ‘Centurion Day’ as soccer teams vie for PIAA titlesVideo
It’s been a complicated fall sports season for teams across the country, with an extra layer of health and safety guidelines to protect players, coaches and staff from the coronavirus. That makes it all the more impressive to see both the boys and girls soccer teams from Greensburg Central Catholic...
Jeannette defense ready for PIAA semifinal test against Reynolds’ rushing attack
The first thing Jeannette football coach Roy Hall told his players at Monday’s practice was to forget about winning the WPIAL title. That game is over. Jeannette won the school’s 10th WPIAL championship Saturday, claiming the Class A title with an impressive and shocking 45-14 victory against Eastern Conference rival...
Birdie on board as Jeannette bandwagon rolls into Reynolds
Last week: 0-1 Season: 71-22 (76.3%) Jeannette has impressed the Birdie since the preseason. The pigskin prodigy told his dear readers in his first column of the year that the Jayhawks would be his “golden ticket” for the postseason. He predicted six regular-season wins and a playoff run. While he...
